Fraudster stripped of possessions

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Six properties, 22 high-end vehicles, eight boats and a vintage steam engine are among items convicted fraudster Michael Swann has been order to forfeit.

He is serving a nine-year, six-month prison sentence for his part in a $16.9 million swindle of the Otago District Health Board, while he was its information technology manager.

Fellow offender Kerry Harford reached a confidential settlement with the board and was later sentenced to four years and three months' prison. He was paroled in June after serving 18 months.

But Swann was held responsible for the bulk of the offending - $15.1m - and Justice Graham Panckhurst this week ordered the forfeiture of $4.4m of property and the payment of $6m, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Swann had refused to co-operate with the tracing of assets and "his attitude throughout has been the very antithesis of co-operation", Justice Panckhurst said.

He ordered 33 items be forfeited, including land, cars and boats worth a total of $3,492,583.

Swann's wife, Anna Devereux, has until August 19 to hand over the family home in Dunedin and to pay $10,000 in outstanding rates. However, she was awarded items and money to the value of $55,000 as her interest in the relationship property.

- NZPA